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‪The aim of the present study is to determine which representations generate problem statements with an additive structure. To this end, we study how adult participants interpret a statement. We ask them to choose, among several options, the proposition(s) similar to a series of statements presented to them. Our goal is to show that some of these statements, called pivots, are susceptible to multiple matches, whereas others lead to a univocal choice. A study of 137 teachers or future teachers, in which participants were asked to rate the closeness of 18 statements across three classification criteria, confirmed that the statements considered pivotal did indeed elicit a large number of associations. Pivotal statements are well-suited to flexible interpretation. The prospects offered by their mobilisation in pedagogical devices are considered.‪